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| 1 | SENATE RESOLUTION
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| 2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to | ||||||
| 3 | learn of the death of
Dr. Gregory C. James, who passed away on | ||||||
| 4 | October 20, 2011; and
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| 5 | WHEREAS, Dr. Gregory James was born on February 29, 1956, | ||||||
| 6 | in Chicago; he lived in Pennsylvania, New York, Texas, Ohio, | ||||||
| 7 | and Massachusetts before returning to Chicago; upon his return, | ||||||
| 8 | he became a member of Trinity United Church of Christ, where he | ||||||
| 9 | was a gifted tenor in the sanctuary choir; and
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| 10 | WHEREAS, Dr. Gregory James earned his master's degree in | ||||||
| 11 | education from Southern Illinois University and his Ed.D. from | ||||||
| 12 | Grambling State University in Louisiana; and
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| 13 | WHEREAS, Dr. Gregory James served as the assistant vice | ||||||
| 14 | president of student affairs at Oakton Community College in Des | ||||||
| 15 | Plaines; he began his career at Oakton in August of 2005 as the | ||||||
| 16 | college's dean of students; in June of 2009, he was promoted to | ||||||
| 17 | Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs/Office of Access, | ||||||
| 18 | Equity, and Diversity - the first to hold the position; and | ||||||
| 19 | WHEREAS, Dr. Gregory James' commitment to social justice | ||||||
| 20 | and anti-bias work made him a leader at Oakton Community | ||||||
| 21 | College and throughout the region; he was regularly called upon | ||||||
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| 1 | to speak at events and conferences about his work; he also | ||||||
| 2 | served on Oakton's Master Plan Steering Committee and on the | ||||||
| 3 | steering committee of the Illinois Committee on Black Concerns | ||||||
| 4 | in Higher Education; and
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| 5 | WHEREAS, Dr. Gregory James was the recipient of numerous | ||||||
| 6 | awards and grants, including the Equity Award from the Illinois | ||||||
| 7 | Community College Trustee Association, the Innovation Award | ||||||
| 8 | from the Illinois Council of Community College Administration, | ||||||
| 9 | the Pan African Connection Grant, the Office of Access, Equity, | ||||||
| 10 | and Diversity Grant, and the Pan African Summit Grant; and
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| 11 | WHEREAS, Dr. Gregory James is survived by his life partner, | ||||||
| 12 | David DeCoursey-James; his daughter, Maurionna Minor; his | ||||||
| 13 | father, Rev. Dr. Silas James; his brothers, Lt. Col. Cedric C. | ||||||
| 14 | Minor-ret., Daryl K. Minor, Kevin D. Minor, and Maurice D. | ||||||
| 15 | Minor and their spouses; his many nieces and nephews; and a | ||||||
| 16 | host of extended family and friends; therefore, be it
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| 17 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL | ||||||
| 18 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with | ||||||
| 19 | his family and friends, the passing of Dr. Gregory C. James; | ||||||
| 20 | and be it further
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| 21 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 22 | presented to the family of Dr. Gregory James as an expression | ||||||
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| 1 | of our sympathy.
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